William e



(No Model.)

W. E. HUDSON. DRAFT BRIDLE.

No. 475,864. Patented May 31, 1892.

llNrTnn STATES ATENT FFIQE.

WVILLIAM E. HUDSON, OF WVASI-IINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DRAFT BRIDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,864, dated May 31, 1892.

Application filed March 5, 1891. Serial No. 383 ,926. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. HUDsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Bridles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

- The object of the invention is to furnish a light, durable, and cheap bridle which is well adapted for draft and may be rapidly put together or manufactured.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved bridle. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are edge views of certain parts.

A designates the safety or crown piece, forming the upper portion of the bridle, and B indicates the brow-band.

C indicates the side straps, commonly called the bridle-cheeks, which extend downward from the crown-piece, one being on each side of the-horses head when the'bridle is put on and connected with the bit f. Each strap 0 is doubled or folded on itself, but is not connected in the usual manner with the crownpiece A; but the two straps are connected with each other by a strap D, which extends over the crown-piece, as shown.

The straps O are provided with buckles a for connections and with metal swinging loops 0 instead of leather loops, commonly used, the said buckles and loops being secured between two thicknesses of strap by means of rivets passed, through the strap and washers c.

E indicates the throat-latch, formed of a strap which is not fastened to the crown-piece A, but extends over the same a short distance from the strap D. The two straps D and E are loosely secured to the crown-piece A by a double loop I), each strap passing through one part of said loop, which is fastened at the center by a rivet and a Washer c to the crown-piece.

The brow-band B is extended at its ends across straps D and E and is loosely secured to said straps by aleatheiip iece d, placed under said straps, the piece d being made a little wider than the band B and fastened thereto by rivets and washers.

F indicates the checkrein, which is constructed to be used either as a eheckrein or for a driving-rein when used with a team. The checkrein is formed of two straps, the forward ends of which are connected with 'the bit f, the rear ends to be connected by a buckle g and a swinging loop it, both of which are connected with one of said straps in the following manner: The end of strap 0% (see Fig. 3) is passed through the loop h and through the buckle g, the buckle-tongue being passed through said strap, which is then folded back and again passed through the loop, so that the extreme end of the strap is within the fold. The folded portion is then secured by a rivet and washer 6 between the buckle and the loop. The other strap a is connected in the ordinary way, the free end 0 of said strap being passed through the buckle and loop outside of the strap m.

To adjust the straps m and n for connection with a driving-rein to be used with a team, the strap n is detached from the other strap, and the free end 0 of said strap n is then passed through the loop and buckle from the opposite directionthat is, through the loop first, as seen in Fig. 4-and connected by said buckle. The free end 0 of the strap'n may then be connected with a driving-rein by means of a buckle on said driving-rein, and the branching straps extending in the opposite direction may be connected with the bits.

The swinging loops, secured in place by rivets passed through the straps, are found to be much better and more readily secured than the old style of loop, which is made of leather and requires stitching.

There is no stitching done in constructing my improved bridle, the strap-fastenings being effected by means of rivets, and the article is manufactured in much less time than is required to make the stitched bridle heretofore used and is much cheaper and more durable.

I claim- A bridle provided with a crown-piece A,

loops 19, secured to said crown-piece, strapsD In testimony whereof I have affixed my sigto and E, independent of each other and extendnature in presence of two witnesses.

ing over said crown-piece and through said loops, the strap D being connected with the cheek-pieces and the strap E forming a threatiatch, and a brow-band connected With straps WILLIAM E. HUDSON.

mark

D and E, the parts being constructed and ar- Vitnesses: ranged substantially as herein shown and de- E. J ACKSON,

scribed. H. A. DANIELS. 

